Pneumatic edge guider



July 14, 1959 M. DUBINSKY PNEUMATIC EDGE GUIDER Filed Jan. 23, 1956 I i l FIG.2

INVENTOR. MILTON DUBINSKY ATTORN Y United States Patent 2,894,743 PNEUMATIC EDGE GUIDER Milton Dubinsky, Providence, R.I., assignor to Milton Dubinsky, Sanford Kroll, and George Kroll, all of Providence, 'R.I., copartners Application January 23, 1956, Serial No. 560,772

14 Claims. (Cl. 2712.6)

My present invention relates to material guiding devices and more particularly to a device for shifting the material transversely in response to irregularities in the feed.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an edge guiding device which is pneumatically operated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an edge guiding device which is accurate and fast in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an edge guiding device which will operate within narrow limits without overheating.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an edge guiding device which is simple in construction and easy and economical to manufacture and install.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section of the device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electrical hookup.

Where material is fed in continuous lengths to a machine, it is often important that the feed be accurate and straight. For example, cloth must be fed with straight edges into a tenter frame, paper into a press, or strip metal into a stamping press. The method of ensuring a straight feed usually comprises a device for shifting the material in response to a contacting switch stationed along the edge. The device comprises a screw and shifting head operated by a reversing motor to shift in either direction. This type of device has many disadvantages. The most common are the overheating of the motor when the switch is set to narrow limits, and lack of accuracy caused by the inertia of the motor and the time lag in reversing.

Attempts have been made to eliminate the difliculties by substituting hydraulic and other devices for the reversing motor. The present invention provides a pneumatic device which is fast, accurate in narrow limits, will not overheat, and is simple and economical to install.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the bed supporting the material being fed is normally provided with a shifting platform 11 slidable along the top of the bed in response to the contact switch (not shown). The platform 11 is provided with a vertical operating arm 12 which normally engages the screw drive. In the,

device of the present invention the screw drive and re versing motor are replaced by a cylinder 13 in which a piston 14 operates the shaft 15 which is attached to the bar 12. With this construction movement of the piston in the cylinder will cause sliding movement of the platform llalong the bed 10.

The device of the present invention contemplates a pressurized system in which the pressure on each side 2,894,743 Patented July 14, 1959 IQQ of the piston 14 is balanced. A decrease in pressure on either side will cause immediate movement of the piston in that direction. Referring to Fig. l, the line to the left of the piston 14 comprises a pipe 16 in which a pctcock 17 is mounted. The line 16 leads to a conventional solenoid controlled valve 18, having an exhaust needle valve 19 and the electrical cord connections 20. The other side of the valve 18 is connected by a pipe 21 to a check valve 22. The check valve 22 is con nected by a pipe 23 to a coupling 24 one side of which leads to a line 25 to a source of pneumatic pressure (not shown).

The right side of the piston 14 is supplied with a similar hookup. A line 26 leads through a pctcock 27 to a solenoid controlled valve 28 having an exhaust needle valve 29. The valve 28 is also provided with the electrical cord connections 38. A pipe 31 leads from the valve 28 to a check valve 32. The check valve 32 is connected by a line 33 to the coupling 24 and back to the same source of pressure. However, unlike the hookup to the left, the line 33 is provided with a selfbleeding regulating valve 34 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

Now referring to Fig. 2, the material 35 is normally contacted along its edge by a pivoted arm 36 attached to one pole of a source of electrical energy 37. The other pole of the source of electrical energy 37 is attached to one of the cord lead wires 20 and 30 from the valves 18 and 28. The other cord lead wire from each valve is attached to a contact post 38 and 39 on each side of the switch arm 36.

In operation a compressor pump and reservoir is hooked into the pressure supply line 25. The amount of pressure will depend on the weight of the material, the size of the cylinder 13, and the speed and distance the material is to be moved. With the system hooked up as shown in Fig. 1, pressure will flow through the various parts to both sides of the piston 14. However, since the piston rod 15 takes up some of the area on the left side of the piston the pressure on that side will be slightly less than the pressure on the right. This will cause the piston to creep towards the left. To offset this action the regulating valve 34 is set at a slightly reduced pressure to balance the pressure on the left side. In addition, air pressure may build up between the valve 34 and the check valve 32. To prevent this the regulating valve 34 is of the self-bleeding type so that the pressure in the right line is always maintained at a constant level. The petcocks 17 and 27 are used before applying the pressure to permit a small quantity of oil to be placed into the line to be pushed into the cylinder on each side of the piston 14.

Referring to Fig. 2, it should be noted that the contact pin 38 on the left of the arm 36 actually operates the solenoid valve 28 which is to the right in Fig. 1, and the contact pin 39 to the right of the arm 36 operates the solenoid valve 18 which is to the left in Fig. 1.

As the material 35 passes through the device, assume that it swings towards the left. The switch arm 36 is pushed to the left and contacts the pin 38 closing the circuit to the solenoid valve 28. The valve 28 is immediately swung to exhaust position sealing off the pipe 31 and connecting the pipe 26 with the needle valve 29. The needle valve 29 is regulated so that it will allow the air from the right side of the cylinder 13 and the pipe 26 to exhaust at a desired rate of speed. As the pressure drops to the right of the piston 14, the pressure on the left will force the piston to the right pulling the material to the right to compensate for the surge to the left. As soon as the material has been moved sufficiently to the right so that the arm 36 breaks its contact With the pin 38 the solenoid valve snaps back into its original position and the pressure flows immediately into the right side of the cylinder, balancing the pressure on the left and bringing the piston 14 to a halt. Similarly, if the material should swing towards the right, the arm 36 closes the circuit to the right and the solenoid valve 18" exhausts the air from the pipe 16 through the needle valve 19;

If the distance between the arm 36' and the contact points 38 and 39 is shortened, the material can be held in close tolerance. The constant switching back and forth will cause the piston 14 to swing back and forth. However, there are no parts that can overheat or burn out as is the case with a reversing motor. The response is instantaneous in either direction. The line pressure and the size of the cylinder can easily be varied to take care of light or heavy material and the adjustment stroke can be regulated so that the piston will travel from a A either way to the full length of the cylinder. Stops are provided at each end so that the piston 13 will not override the inlets of the pipes 16 and 26. The device is simple in construction and easy to install. The various regulating valves can be used to accommodate the device to the type of material and its speed of travel.

The regulating valve 34 may be omitted by providing an additional shaft, similar to the shaft 15 on the opposite sideof the piston 14. This shaft would be an idler, but it would serve to balance the pressure on both sides of the piston. However, the use of a regulating valve provides a better adjustable control. Other advantages of'the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out of one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end of each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, and an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure.

2. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of saidpiston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure, and a check valve in each line between said solenoid valves and the source of pressure.

3. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe 6. line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, and a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston.

4. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out oneend of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to-a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applyingthe pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, a check valve in each line between said solenoid 'valves and the source of pressure, and a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressureon each side of said piston.

5 A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising meansfor supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending. from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure, and a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading,

to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston.

6. A device for shifting material in response to a two pole switch at the edge of the material comprising means.

for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said pistonin response to the decrease in pressure, a check valve in each line between said solenoid valves and the source of pressure, and a pressure-regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid r M -M valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston.

7. A device for shifting materialin 're'sponseto a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

8. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected .to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each :side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a 'common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a :solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving *or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in :response to the movement of the two-pole switch, a :check valve in each line between said solenoid valves and the source of pressure, and a petcock in each line adjacent tthe cylinder.

9. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means :for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneu- :matic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylfinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected .to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying :a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

10. A device for shifting material in response to a two' pole switch at the edge of the material comprising meansfor supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure, a check valve in each line between said solenoid valves and the source of pressure, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

11. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed priedmatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cyl-" inder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end oneach side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

12. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, a check valve in each line between said solenoid valves and the source of pressure, a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

13. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch, an adjustable needle valve on the exhaust side of each solenoid valve for controlling the rate of movement of said piston in response to the decrease in pressure, a pressure regulating valve in the pneumatic line leading to the side of the cylinder opposite the piston rod positioned between said solenoid valve and the source of pressure to balance the pressure on each side of said piston, and a petcock in each line adjacent the cylinder.

14. A device for shifting material in response to a twopole switch at the edge of the material comprising means for supporting the material, a horizontally disposed pneumatic cylinder, a piston horizontally slidable in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and out one end of said cylinder, said piston rod being connected to said material supporting means, a pneumatic pipe line connected to said cylinder adjacent each end on each side of said piston, said pipe lines being connected to a common source of pneumatic pressure for applying a constant equal pressure on each side of said piston, means for balancing the pressure on both sides of said piston, and a solenoid controlled valve in each pipe line for relieving or applying the pressure on either side of said piston in response to the movement of the two-pole switch.

References Qited in the file of this patent 3, Fishburn Aug. 14, 1934, Tyler Dec. 23, 1941 Auer .Sept. 25, 1951 Cherigie Dec. 13, 1955 Zieboltz Feb. 21, 1956 Brooks Mar. '20, 1 956 

